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Posts Tagged ‘cuttingedge’

Beyond Brutalism: Cutting-Edge North Korean Architecture

03 Apr

[ By Steve in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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The infamous Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang may have stolen the spotlight but North Korea can boast many other examples of unusual cutting-edge architecture.

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The Korea Central Zoo (also known as the Pyongyang Central Zoo) was founded in 1959 but recently underwent an extensive makeover, re-opening in July of 2016. The zoo was and continues to be criticized for exhibits that include a chain-smoking chimpanzee and various breeds of dogs. Canines are forbidden to be kept as pets in the capital city, ostensibly for hygienic reasons.

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We’re here to discuss architecture, however, and when it comes to the Central Zoo the highlight has to be the huge tiger-head entrance archway. Rather impressive, unless you’re an easily frightened child (or adult). At least the scaredy-cats can find some solace at the turtle-shaped Reptile Enclosure.

Handball Hall

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Handball is kind of a big deal in North Korea and the North Korea women’s national handball team has competed at the Asian Women’s Handball Championship no less than six times since 1991 – though they’ve never finished higher than third. The team practices at the strikingly angular and not at all ball-shaped Handball Hall located on Chongchun Street in Pyongyang’s “city of sports” district.

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We don’t have a date for the first photo but the image just above snapped by Flickr user Aaron Geddes (Gedsman) in March of 2016 displays some subtle differences.

International Cinema Hall

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The International Cinema Hall isn’t in use very often as its main raison d’etre is hosting the Pyongyang International Film Festival every other year since 1987.

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The sprocket-shaped building sits cheek-by-jowl to a golf course (you read that correctly) on the island of Yanggakdo, located in the Taedong River running through downtown Pyongyang.

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Beyond Brutalism Cutting Edge North Korean Architecture

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[ By Steve in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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Posted in Creativity

 

Canon EOS 70D review: The cutting-edge stalwart

31 Oct

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We’ve just completed our review of Canon’s EOS 70D. With its Dual Pixel AF system and built-in Wi-Fi, it’s an unusually radical departure for a series that’s tended to progress fairly conservatively between generations. So how well does it work? Are these high-tech additions enough to fend of the competition from Nikon’s very capable D7100 or Olympus’s rather impressive E-M1? Read our review to find out.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm X100S retains retro looks while adding cutting-edge technologies

08 Jan

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Fujifilm has announced the X100S – a significantly enhanced replacement for its X100 large sensor, fixed-lens compact camera. The X100S retains its predecessor’s classic styling but has been extensively re-worked inside, with a 16MP X-Trans sensor that includes on-chip phase-detection elements (a technology first utilized by Fujifilm), and a higher-resolution LCD in its Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder. A faster ‘EXR II’ processor, along with the on-chip AF information help Fujifilm offer what it says is the world’s fastest AF. The X100S backs-up its rangefinder-esque looks with a digital split-image manual focus system, allowing fast manual focusing. A great many fine details of the camera have also been enhanced – we look in greater detail in our hands-on preview article.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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